Nelson Constitution Day Reuters Essay

A right-to-vote amendment would open the door to voting access for excluded groups, such as the homeless, citizens convicted of a felony, and residents of the District of Columbia, among others. In addition, a constitutional amendment process centered on the right to vote would build civic awareness, inspiring a new vision of participatory democracy.

Without an affirmative right to vote, we are left vulnerable to the whims of partisan politics and inept election administrators to determine when, how and under what conditions we can vote.

So, as we honor our Constitution’s birthday, let’s not only blow out the candles — let’s breathe new life into it with a positive, explicit and unfettered right to vote.